Golf putter



Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE I GOLF PUTTER Thomas Albert Hamilton, Hale; England Application December 31, 193 Serial No. 118,642 In Great Britain January 21, 1936 2 Claims.

This invention relates to golf ball putters as used on the greens of golf courses wherein the control of the club for making putts of different length is usually effected by altering theposition of the hands on the handle portion of the club, thatis to say, for the shorter putts the hands are placed lower down'jthe handlethereby leaving an unwieldly and unbalanced length,,lo nger or shorter according to the length of putt, of shaft above the hands which decreases the golfers control of the club and consequently his efiiciency at the game.

The object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball putter which can be adjusted in the course of play to the effective length desired without materially disturbing the balance and whilst maintaining the required balancewithout altering the position of the hands of the user on the handle. Whereas the standard golf ball putter has a shaft of fixed length, according to the present invention putter shafts are formed in two or more parts (usually two) sliding telescopically one within the other adapted to frictionally engage each other and provided with spring means to position the parts relatively to each other in a plurality of adjusted positions, provision being made to prevent any angular movement of the telescopic members relatively to each other about their common axis such provision conveniently comprising a tube or bar of square or other noncircular shape in cross section rigidly fixed to one sliding element and passing through a guide of corresponding cross sectional shape in the other element such an arrangement serving also to increase the lateral rigidity of the shaft.

Spring means are preferably provided to retain the sliding element in the adjusted position.

The invention will be more particularly described by the aid of the accompanying drawing wherein the same reference letters or characters relate to the same thing or part and in which:-

Figure 1 is an external view of a putter constructed according to the invention shown in the extended position whilst Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken from the rear.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 3--3, Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a View corresponding to Figure 1 but showing the club shortened and as ready for use in making short putts and Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal section of the middle part of a club showing a modified method of mounting the locking springs and Figure 6 is a plan view of the spring mount ing means detached. 7

Figure 7 is a view of the top part of a club constructed according to the invention showing further modified locking means.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient manner as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 the improved club comprises a tubular portion a constituting the handle, provided with any suitable form of grip, such as the leather wrapping b, the cylindrical lower portion a of which has an internal diameter corresponding to the external diameter of the cylindrical top portion 0 of the tubular lower portion 0 of the shaft which at its lower end is adapted to fit into the socket d of the head at of the club. A cap. or plug. e is provided for the top of the handle'and rigidly secured thereto is a steel or other metal rod 1' of square shape in cross section formed with cross slots I F at a predetermined distance apart.

The top end of the cylindrical shaft section 0 is pressed in to form a square cross section at c to receive the metal rod 1 and spring tongs 9 surrounding the same, a diametrically opposite pair of which is formed with indentations 9 adapted to engage the cross slots 7 so as to positively lock the parts in the adjusted position. Said springs g are retained in position by splaying the lower ends 9 outwards and forming protuberances g thereon to engage the bottom and top portions of the squared end 0 respectively of the shaft section 0 as will be clearly seen on reference to Figure 3. The springs q constitute a lining for said squared shaft end 0 with which the metal rod forms a good sliding fit. The inner end of the rod f is provided with a projection in the form of a stud T which is placed in position when assembling the parts through the hole 0 in the shaft section 0 to limit the outward movement or extension of the handlea on the shaft c.

It will now be seen that with a club head (1 resting on the ground sufficient pressure on the handle a in the longitudinal direction will cause the spring catches 9 to yield and allow said handle a to telescope on the shaft portion 0 to the desired extent according to the length of the putt it is desired to make as governed by the desire of the golfer said spring catches engaging one of the sets of notches or cross slots f in the adjusted position whilst the construction of the club is such that no relative longitudinal or angular movement between the top and bottom portions of the club takes place in use. Said shortening of the shaft can be effected whilst the hands are on the handle using the ordinary grip for putting and when it is desired to extend the club the hands are still retained in position and the foot is placed on the head to assist the pull.

Instead of forming a square at the top of the section said top may be left round and a metal fitment h brazed or otherwise rigidly secured near the top end of the cylindrical portion of the shaft element 0 and internally of the same, see Figures and 6, said fitment h having diametrically opposite longitudinal slots h h formed on the exterior to receive spring tongs i, 2' having fingers or extensions i i adapted to frictionally grip the bar 1 on oppositelsides as to positively lock the parts in the adjusted position, the bar 1 being secured to the handle part b which is constructed and mounted'as m the last example. In this case the lower part of the rod is provided witha collar f which forms a sliding fit for the internal bore of the cylindrical shaft portion to limit the outward movement or extension. of the handle a on the shaft 0 as does the stud in the preceding example, the shortening and lengthening of the club being effected-in like manner. 7

According to the modified construction shown in Figure 7 the spring locking tongs g and i are dispensed with, andthe end of theuhandle portion a is slotted at It soas toengage the tubular portion 0 of the upper part of the shaft 0 with a springy friction grip capable of yielding sufiiciently to allow the protuberances 1 formed by indentations near the end of thehandle portion to spring into and out of engagement with the recesses 0 formed in the cylindrical portion 0 of the shaft 0. The handle portion may be provided with a square rod to slidingly fit a square hole in the top of the shaft section. 0 as in the preceding examples.

Whilst the shaft and handle are preferably made round, in cross section they may be, of

square, octagonal or other non-circular shape in cross section.

By these means a golf ball putter is provided which can be adjusted in the course of play to the eflective length desired without materially disturbing the balance and whilst maintaining the required balance Without altering the position of the hands of the user on the handle.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature ofmy said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-

1. A golf ball putter which can be adjusted during the course of play to the effective length desired without altering the position of the hands of the useron the handle, comprising a head, a tubular shaft with a cylindrical portion, attached to saidhead, a tubular handle slidably mounted on the cylindrical portion of the shaft, anon-circular bar rigidly attached to said handle, and provided with transverse notches, a guide at, the top of the shaft having a through boreof ashapev corresponding to the cross sectional shapeof the bar and spring fingers securedto the shaft adaptedtoengage said notches to lock thebar in. the adjustedposition.

2. A golf ball putter which can be adjusted during the course of play to the effective length desired withoutaltering the position of the hands of the user on the handle, comprising a head, a tubular, shaft with a cylindrical portion, attached to said head, a tubular handle slidably mounted on thecylindrical portion of the shaft, a non-circular bar rigidly attached to said handle, and provided with transverse notches, a guide at the top of the shaft having a through here of, a shape corresponding to the cross sectional, shapeof, the bar, spring fingers secured to the shaft adapted to engage said notches to lock the bar in.the.adjuste d position and means to limit the outward longitudinal movement of the handle on the shaft.

THOMAS ALBERT HAMILTON. 

